2013 NFL Mock Draft

Last update: Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2012. Major changes in all 3 rounds.
Next update: Next week. Follow me @walterfootball for updates.

You can find the complete seven-round 2013 NFL Draft Order by clicking the link.

NFL Draft Recent Links:

2025 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 11/20): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2
Other 2025 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (11/22)
2026 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 7/24): Round 1 /Picks 17-32
Other 2026 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (11/23)
(More links to previous NFL mock drafts at the bottom of this page)

Kansas City Chiefs: Geno Smith, QB, West Virginia
I wrote earlier that this pick largely depended on what would happen with Scott Pioli. If Pioli were retained, he’d draft Star Lotulelei or Luke Joeckel and then use his second-round pick on Mike Glennon, whom he likes. If Pioli were fired, however, the new general manager would almost have to take a franchise quarterback.

Pioli should have been fired, which is what the awesome @saveourchiefs movement was pushing for. He wasn’t, but is in limbo instead. The Chiefs announced that the new coach will decide Pioli’s fate, so it would seem as though the “New Regimes Means New Quarterback” principle still applies. That could change, and if so, I’ll make the proper adjustments in my 2013 NFL Mock Draft.

Unfortunately for the Chiefs, there currently is no signal-caller worth taking No. 1 overall, but that could easily change. Remember two years ago when ESPN was mocking Da’Quan Bowers and Nick Fairley to the Panthers? Well, Cam Newton ballooned to the top, as will some other quarterback this year. It could be Geno Smith, Tyler Wilson, Matt Barkley or Glennon. We’ll see. Four months is a long time. If this doesn’t happen, the Chiefs could always trade down.

By the way, I’m doing this live because I thought it’d be fun to get instant feedback. I’m going to post my mock anyway, so why not do it this way? Follow @walterfootball for updates.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Jarvis Jones, DE/OLB, Georgia
I slotted a quarterback to the Jaguars in my pre-December mock drafts because Blaine Gabbert is a sunk cost. I argued that there was no way in hell Jacksonville could go into the 2013 season and sell its fans on Gabbert for another year.

However, two things happened. First, Matt Barkley has completely fallen off and cannot be taken at No. 2 overall right now. And second, Chris Mortensen reported that it’s a virtual certainty that Tim Tebow will be on the Jaguars next year. Signing Tebow and then drafting a quarterback on Day 2 is the avenue Jacksonville will likely pursue.

Jarvis Jones would be a huge boost to a defense that has missed strongside linebacker Daryl Smith all year. Smith is a free agent, so if he’s not re-signed, Jones would be a worthy replacement. He would function as Von Miller does in Denver, rushing the quarterback in obvious passing situations.
Oakland Raiders: Star Lotulelei, NT, Utah
Is there any doubt the Raiders need help at defensive tackle in the wake of Doug Martin’s near-record performance?

Richard Seymour’s contract will be voided at the end of the season. Meanwhile, Tommy Kelly is a bum who doesn’t care about winning, as evidenced when he laughed after prolonging a San Diego drive with a pair of offside penalties. He’s a thug who has played so sluggishly this year in the rare instances when he wasn’t trying to injure the opposing quarterback, so there’s no chance he’s going to see a penny of his $6.5 million salary in 2013. He’s as good as gone, and 15-year-old head coach Dennis Allen lost all respect in the locker room for not cutting him after the opener.
Philadelphia Eagles: Luke Joeckel, OT, Texas A&M
Is there any doubt that the Eagles have to upgrade their offensive line? Their tackle position is in shambles. Jason Peters tore his Achilles; Demetress Bell has been a bust signing; while King Dunlap simply sucks. Even if Peters comes back close to 100 percent, an upgrade could be made at right tackle, which would allow Todd Herremans to move back to his natural guard position.

Luke Joeckel had a slow start to his 2012 campaign, but he improved tremendously in the second half of the season, even stifling the LSU pass-rushers. He could easily go in the top four, right after a quarterback and some order of Jarvis Jones and Star Lotulelei.
Detroit Lions: Damontre Moore, DE/OLB, Texas A&M
The Lions’ draft strategy is to pick the top player on their board. It just so happens that the best prospect available happens to fill a huge need.

Kyle Vanden Bosch likely won’t be back with the team next season because of his $5 million salary, while the other exterior pass-rushers, excluding Cliff Avril, have barely done anything this year.

Damontre Moore said earlier that he planned on returning to school, but he officially changed his mind recently after learning that he was close to being a top-five lock with a shot at going as high as No. 2 to Jacksonville.
Cleveland Browns: Manti Te’o, LB, Notre Dame
Manti Te’o makes lots of sense for the Browns if Damontre Moore and Jarvis Jones are off the board. He could either play the middle, which would move D’Qwell Jackson to a more natural weakside position, or they could just station Te’o at strongside linebacker, where he would replace the soon-to-be-retired Scott Fujita. Regardless, an upgrade at linebacker is desperately needed.
Arizona Cardinals: Taylor Lewan, OT, Michigan
It doesn’t matter who the quarterback is; if the Cardinals can’t pass protect, that signal-caller will struggle. I can’t imagine Arizona passing on Taylor Lewan if he’s available. He’s one of the top prospects on the board, so unless the Cardinals really don’t like him, they’ll select him to be the cornerstone of their new offensive front. As an added bonus, Lewan is a Scottsdale native and went to the same high school as center Lyle Sendlein, as e-mailer Brian N. pointed out to me.
Buffalo Bills: Mike Glennon, QB, N.C. State
This is a reach – I had Mike Glennon in the second round of last week’s update – but we’ve seen second-day talents like Blaine Gabbert and Christian Ponder go in the top 12. Teams are so desperate for quarterbacks that they’ll make moves like this.

General manager Buddy Nix, who is generally forthcoming about his offseason plans, told the media that he plans on drafting a franchise quarterback. He even said he’ll trade up for one in the 2013 NFL Draft. He may have been talking about Geno Smith if the Chiefs pass on him, but he won’t have to move anywhere for Mike Glennon.

It’s still early, but I believe Glennon and Tyler Wilson are the two favorites for this selection. Nix will talk himself into taking one of them. Glennon is getting the most hype right now, with Mel Kiper even saying that he could be the first quarterback off the board. I liked this pick more when Chan Gailey was still the coach, as Glennon fit perfectly into his offense. We should have a better read after Nix hires his next head coach.
New York Jets: Bjoern Werner, DE/OLB, Florida State
All Jet fans want a quarterback right now, but the front office will have to give Mark Sanchez one more chance because it’ll take a $17 million cap hit if it cuts him. Besides, they’re so stubborn that they’ll blame it on Sanchez not having weapons.

Well, this isn’t exactly a weapon for Sanchez, but New York has to take the best player available this early. The Jets’ inability to get to the quarterback needs to be fixed. Aaron Maybin was recently cut, while Calvin Pace has struggled for the most part.

Pick change; previously Dion Jordan, DE/OLB
Tennessee Titans: DeMarcus Milliner, CB, Alabama
The Titans were interested in drafting a highly ranked cornerback at No. 20 back in April, but neither Stephon Gilmore nor Dre Kirkpatrick fell to them. Maybe they’ll have more luck in the 2013 NFL Draft, as they do in this situation with one of the top players available filling a big need. Alterraun Verner will be entering his contract year in 2013, so Tennessee will need a new starter if it can’t retain him. Besides, the Titans need to fix their 24th-ranked pass defense.
San Diego Chargers: Dion Jordan, DE/OLB, Oregon
The Chargers, heartbroken that Taylor Lewan went one pick ahead of them, will bolster a pass rush that accumulated 11 sacks against the Jets. Why would they do this, especially when they just spent a first-round pick on rush linebacker Melvin Ingram? Well, Shaun Phillips, who had 2.5 of those sacks, will be a 32-year-old free agent in March, so San Diego will need a complement for Ingram if it can’t retain Phillips.

Pick change; previously Taylor Lewan, OT
Miami Dolphins: Eric Fisher, OT, Central Michigan
It appears as though Jake Long will not be back with the Dolphins next year. Miami will have to pay him more than $15 million if it franchises him, which doesn’t seem like a lucrative option because he’s coming off a down season. He may not want to re-sign to a long-term deal either, so if he leaves, the Dolphins will have to find a new left tackle. Why not another Michigan product? Well, Central Michigan, but close enough.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Johnthan Banks, CB, Mississippi State
The Buccaneers decided they didn’t like Morris Claiborne very much, so they traded out of the No. 5 spot in the 2012 NFL Draft and selected Mark Barron two picks later. They really need cornerback help, especially in the wake of the Aqib Talib trade, so they’ll almost have to remedy that need at this juncture. Maybe another SEC defensive back will be the answer.
Carolina Panthers: Johnathan Hankins, NT, Ohio State
I was told by a reliable source not to mock Fletcher Cox to the Panthers because they were satisfied with their current group of defensive tackles. Based on the rushing yardage they recently surrendered to Bryce Brown and Jamaal Charles, I highly doubt they’ll feel the same way in April. Besides, Johnathan Hankins is one of the best players available.
New Orleans Saints: Sheldon Richardson, DT, Missouri
Sedrick Ellis has been a bust. He’ll be hitting free agency this March, so it’s unlikely he’ll be back with the team. Canadian Akiem Hicks has played well, but the Saints need someone next to him who can rush the passer on the interior. Sheldon Richardson, who has been phenomenal this season, could be that guy.
St. Louis Rams: Chance Warmack, G, Alabama
Guards seldom have a chance to go in the top 15, but Chance Warmack has a shot because he’s a special talent. Besides, he’s the top prospect available who makes sense for St. Louis.

The Rams desperately need to upgrade their offensive front. Jeff Fisher played against the Texans twice per year when he was with Tennessee, and he watched Houston completely ruin David Carr’s career by not building a competent offensive line around him. He won’t want to make the same mistake with Sam Bradford.

Go to 2013 NFL Mock Draft: Picks 17-32

Sorry for cutting this into two halves; I’ve received complaints about load times and putting the mock draft on two pages saves bandwidth.